Council

Agenda Item 24

Subject:                    Petition for Debate – Support private rent controls and more social housing at living rents

Date of meeting:    11 July 2024

Report of:                 Corporate Director for Corporate Services

Contact Officer:      Name: Anthony Soyinka

                                    Tel: 01273 291006

                                    Email: anthony.soyinka@brighton-hove.gov.uk

Ward(s) affected:   All

FOR GENERAL RELEASE

1.      SUMMARY AND POLICY CONTEXT:

1.1 Under the Council’s Petition Scheme if a petition contains more than 1,250 signatures and is not petition requesting officer evidence, it will be debated by the Full Council.

1.2 The e-petition has resulted in triggering a debate at the council meeting, having exceeded the threshold with a total of 1784 signatures confirmed at the time of printing the report.

2.      RECOMMENDATIONS:

2.1 That the petition is noted.

3.      RELEVANT BACKGROUND INFORMATION / CHRONOLOGY OF KEY EVENTS:

3.1 The Petition:

In Brighton and Hove average private rents for a 3 bedroom flat are around £1700 a month. The middle take home pay of people living in Brighton and Hove is £2,250 a month.

Private renting is unaffordable for many households, yet since 1989 when

fair rent tenancies were replaced national governments of all parties have been committed to “free market rents”.

It could be different, other countries in Europe have rent controls, lower rents and better quality homes to rent.

Over 2 million council homes have been lost through the right to buy.

We need rent controls and more social housing at Living rents. People are struggling with the cost of living and need politicians to act now.

We the undersigned call on Brighton and Hove council to:

1) Write to ministers demanding action now that they:

a) Give local councils the power to cap and reduce rents in areas like ours where rents are too high

b) Provide grant to councils to expand homes at Living (or social) rents

c) End the loss of council housing through the Right to Buy

2) Write to government demanding that they pledge action on the above

4.      PROCEDURE:

4.1 The petition will be debated at the Council meeting in accordance with the agreed protocol:

(i) The Lead petitioner will be invited by the Mayor to present the petition and will have up to 3 minutes in which to outline the petition and confirm the number of signatures;

(ii) The Mayor will then open the matter up for debate by councillors for period of 15 minutes and will first call on the relevant Cabinet Member to respond to the petition and move a proposed response. The Mayor will then call on those councillors who have indicated a desire to speak in the matter, before calling on the relevant Cabinet Member to respond to the debate;

(iii) An amendment to the recommendation in paragraph 2.1 of the report or to add additional recommendations should be submitted by 10.00am on the day before the meeting; otherwise it will be subject to the Mayor’s discretion as to being appropriate.  Any such amendment will need to be formally moved and seconded at the meeting;

(iv) After the 15 minutes set aside for the debate, the Mayor will then formally put:

(v) (a) Any amendments in the order in which they are moved, and

(b) The substantive recommendation(s) as amended (if amended).